Jinu Maharjan, 32, of Kalimati, was hit by a scooter in Kamaladi in November. She was rushed to hospital. [break]
Many pedestrians like Shrestha and Maharjan are hit by road vehicles almost every day while crossing the street in the Valley. A few of them even get killed while others sustain injuries. In some cases, the drivers can be at fault. However, it is often the pedestrians themselves who are reckless.
If one looks at the road accident figures for just one month in the Valley, it is amply clear how serious the problem of jaywalking is. According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD), Kathmandu, as many as 71 pedestrians were hit by moving vehicles such as buses, micro-buses or motorbikes in December alone. Six of them were killed while dozens of others sustained injuries.
A file photo of an overhead bridge at Jamal. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
Traffic police have been carrying out various campaigns to spread awareness about the hazards of jaywalking. At times, they have adopted bizarre ways of fostering pedestrian awareness. But these campaigns have had little impact on jaywalkers.
Last year, MTPD carried out several anti-jaywalking campaigns, urging pedestrians to use zebra-crossings and overhead bridges and follow the traffic signals. In one of such campaign, 400 pedestrians were fined Rs 50 to 200 for not using zebra-crossings or overhead bridges or not following traffic signals. Nearly 500 individuals were detained briefly.
On one occasion, traffic police even made jaywalkers sing and dance right in the street. They were also made to promise that they would never repeat their mistake. However, the problem persists.
DSP Pawan Giri, spokesperson for MTPD, says pedestrians avoid recklessly crossing the streets when anti-jaywalking campaigns are in force. However, once the campaigns are over, they return to their wonted ways.
“A majority of pedestrians are yet to realize that traffic rules are for their own safety,” says DSP Pawan Giri, spokesperson for MTPD.
DSP Giri also says that the lack of stern laws for punishing traffic rule violators encourages pedestrians to cross the street recklessly. The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has allowed traffic police to fine pedestrians up to Rs. 200 if they are found violating road safety measures, including recklessly crossing the street.
Jaywalking is rampant at localities such as Chabahil, New Baneshwor, Koteswor, Gausala, Kalimati, Ratna Park, Jamal and Durbarmarg.
DIG Ganesh Rai, who was chief of MTPD until recently, says that unless pedestrians change their mindset, the problem of jaywalking will remain. “When a Nepali goes to the US, he strictly follows all the traffic rules,” he says. “But, the same person does not follow traffic rules back home. He believes he can easily get away with violating the rules. We should change such attitudes in the first place.” He also stresses the need for stricter rules.
“The traffic police should adopt a two-pronged approach to tackle jaywalking effectively,” says DIG Rai. “We should strictly enforce all the traffic rules. On the other hand, we should also continue with our public awareness programs.”
Pedestrians should change their behavior
Upendra Kanta Aryal Chief of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD), Kathmandu
How serious is the problem of jaywalking in Kathmandu Valley?
Jaywalking has really grown into a serious problem in the Valley as accidents involving jaywalking pedestrians are on the rise and are a threat to road safety.
How has it hampered overall traffic management?
Basically, there are two kinds of jaywalkers. One group are those who cross the road recklessly, ignoring nearby zebra-crossings, overhead bridges or traffic signals. The other group are those who cross the road even where this is restricted and don´t hesitate to topple barriers erected to close off a road space. Such activities threatened the safety of pedestrians as well as create difficulties for traffic police.
Do you have any plans to curb this problem?
Until and unless there is a change in attitude among pedestrians that road discipline is for their own safety, it is really hard to curb the problem. In order to bring about a change in attitude, we have lately been disseminating traffic rules awareness among people through different measures. But only awareness campaigns do not seem to yield any fruit due to lack of enforcement programs. We are doing the homework and will launch an enforcement drive within two or three months, considering the seriousness of the problem.
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